Initiated in 2014 by the Embassies of France in New Zealand and Australia, it runs in partnership with the French Ministry of Education, the New Zealand Ministry of Education and the New Zealand Association of French Teachers.  Secondary schools in France, New Zealand, Australia, the Cook Islands and New Caledonia are invited to engage in collaborative projects on WW1 as part of the Shared Histories programme 

Why Shared Histories?

Awarded 'Mission du Centenaire de la Première Guerre Mondiale' Label , this programme is designed to:

- raise awareness among young people about the contribution of the ANZAC on the Western Front     

- highlight the historical links created between these countries since   

- bring together youth across countries to revive the memory of this common history     

- explore its profound significance and impact.   

Who for?

The programme is open to secondary and intermediate schools in France (including New Caledonia), New Zealand, Australia and the Cook Islands to:

- improve language skills and understanding of the other country’s culture and history

- enhance interest in learning languages

- raise awareness among school communities and the general public of the importance and significance of the ANZAC participation in WW1, and of historical links

- create sustainable partnerships and exchanges between schools

- 
produce educational resources on WW1


- raise the profile of the teaching and learning of French in New Zealand and Australian schools to effect uptake and retention of learners.  

Project Stages 

1- Create school partnerships

Projects must be collaborative, i.e. designed and developed jointly by two or more partner schools from different countries.


Schools without an existing partner can find a partner on sharedhistories.com. The platform enables schools to search for a partner and to start a project. 

To start a project school project leaders must create a profile on the platform and follow the steps to register the outline of their project.

Schools with an existing partner must also register on sharedhistories.com and together go through the steps of registering their project idea there too

Once the partnership is officially formed via the platform and the joint project submitted, the partners will receive confirmation of registration and selection. 

2- Define and Start Projects

Themes, forms and contents of the projects are defined by the partners jointly.

They will focus ANZAC participation in WW1 on the Western Front and the Battle of the Somme in particular.


Schools are encouraged to draw on a wide range of local or national resources, web-based or physical, including libraries, archives, museums or private documents or collections as well as community groups. The project development will result in common productions which may take any form and be presented through any media as will be jointly decide (e.g. paper or electronic, texts, photos, art, videos, exhibition, etc). 


Partners choose the technology to use to help communication and production: e-mail, blogs, social media etc sharedhistories.com is as the central portal to showcase the projects and communicate on the initiative as a whole.  

3- Mobility 

Projects may include a physical mobility of students from New Zealand or Australia to visit their partner school in France or New Caledonia or reciprocally from France or New Caledonia to New Zealand / Australia.

Such trips have the potential to add considerable value to the projects by giving students an opportunity to meet their counterparts in the partner country and visit historical and cultural sites related to WW1. 

However, meeting the cost of travel will prove a tough challenge in many cases. 

It is expected therefore, that most projects will be carried out through distant exchanges and may not involve reciprocal mobility. 

Proposed Calendar

October 2016:  Publication of call for project

From October 2016: Search for partner schools

February 2017: Deadline for submitting collaborative projects

June 2017: Planning of NZ/Australian school trips to France/ New Caledonia - School projects outcomes published regularly 

From second semester 2017: NZ/Australian schools visit their partner schools in France (or New Caledonia) - School projects finalised   

Project Selection & Funding

1- Selection criteria

All school partners can register a Project of their choice.

Project selection will take place as projects are submitted and project leaders will be made aware of the outcome by the Shared Histories team shortly after the submission. 

A selection process will apply for those New Zealand schools who choose to apply for funding:     

- The project should be relevant to French and New Zealand / Australian school curricula and education guidelines The project should be relevant to the study of at least two subjects (e.g. French and history)    

- The project should involve research of local historical sources    

- The project should highlight the link between the history and the memory / memories of the Great War (past – present – future)    

- The project should involve a comparison of the local / national memories of the War in New Zealand / Australia and in France      

- The originality of the project and its end product, as well as the use of ICT will be taken into account.

2- Funding opportunities 

Schools whose projects have been selected may be eligible for funding opportunities available in their respective countries or regions.   

New Zealand schools may apply for funding from the Shared Histories New Zealand programme.

Evidence of project progress and productions must be present on Shared Histories blog space. Each school will published a minimum of four blog posts over the entire duration of their project, with the support of the Shared Histories team if necessary. 

Funding may be allocated to a limited number of projects on the basis of their quality, relevance and evidence of progress as documented on sharedhistories.com. Lower decile schools will be given special consideration. 

Expect a three week timeline between the time a funding application is submitted and its outcome to be communicated.

For other countries or regions, see here

Contact & Getting Started 

Contacts:

Programme Inquiries and all Funding Applications: 

Pascale Seignolles 

Education Attachée _ French Embassy in NZ  

Click here to send email

Shared Histories platform support: 

Pascale Hyboud-Peron

Community Manager _ sharedhistories.com

Click here to send email

Getting started

Go to www.sharedhistories.com    

Select HOW >  Create a profile section here

Create a school profile to be listed as a school seeking a partner


Contact potential partner to initiate a partnership    

Work out a joint project with your partner    

Submit it jointly on www.sharedhistories.com (Find out how here)   

Once registered start blogging about your project (you will receive information and login credentials via email)

Download the Call for Project information as .pdf here